Forever and Always, Namadith
by huntressofartemis101
Summary: In which Thorin throws some sharp objects at his gold-possessed father, Dis and Frerin get stuck in a chandelier, and Thorin realizes just how much he loves his little brother and sister. Oneshot, may have a sequel, sorry for any mistakes.


Thorin stalked down the halls to the training room, his deep-sea blue cloak billowing behind him. His grandfather refused to see why Thorin didn't want a celebration for his birthday, and his father was no help either. In all honesty, Thorin _would_love to have a small gathering with his close friends, but he knew that his elders just wanted another reason to show off the new stone that had been found in the mines: the Arkenstone.

He burst into the bright, cool room and headed straight for the wall holding all the training swords, having left his in his rooms. Before he could grab one however, a familiar voice called out his name in excitement.

"Thorin Thorin! Frerin came up with the best game EVER!" Thorin scowled and ignored the little dwarfling, focusing on choosing which sword to train with instead. "Thorin, come on, it's really fun! And it's not even that dangerous!" Thorin rolled his eyes; any game Frerin came up with usually ended up with them getting grounded, hurt, or in most cases, both.

"I'm not interested Dis. Now go away." He finally decided on a pair of long, thin, dual blades and grabbed them from the wall. "But Thoooriiin, you NEVER play with us anymore." Thorin let out an exasperated sigh at his little sister's whine. He turned around and saw her standing with her hands clasped in a pleading gesture and her striking blue eyes wider than a doe's. He thought about relenting to her begging; it was almost impossible to ignore her adorable pout and sweet voice. Almost being the key word. Thorin felt his face soften and he was about to give in to his baby sister until he glanced out the open doors to see his Thrain watching them, and he immediately remembered why he had come to the training room in the first place.

"I told you Dis," he snarled, never taking his eyes off his father's indifferent face. Thorin was just about fed up with his father ignoring their family for a stupid piece of rock. "I do not care about this stupid game Frerin came up with. I am a prince of Erebor, and I do not frolic around the castle like a child."

Dis's eyes filled with tears. Why was her big brother, her idol and protector, so mad at her? What had she done wrong? She had seen him lose his temper before, but she was never, EVER on the receiving end of Thorin's wrath. She ducked her head and tried not to let the tears fall. "Sorry Thorin." She turned and started back to the door.

When she passed their father who was still watching them, Dis tried to hug his leg, but Thrain just stared down at her like she was some intriguing object that he had no real interest in. This was the last straw for Thorin. As soon as his little sister was out of earshot, he gave a feral scream and threw his swords like javelins at his father.

"Thorin, what has gotten into you?" Thrain shouted when had recovered from almost being impaled by his son's flawless aim.

Thorin gaped at his father incredulously. "Wha…what has gotten into me?" he asked in disbelief. Then his face morphed into a hard scowl. "What has gotten into me, Father? No, that is not the question. What has gotten into _you!?" _he shouted as he grabbed a dagger off the wall behind him and chucked it at Thrain. "I am not the one worshipping a stupid hunk of rock! I am not the one ignoring my children and wife!"

Thrain glared at his son. "It is not just a 'hunk of rock,' as you so elegantly put it Thorin. The arkenstone has shown the world your grandfather's right to rule this mountain, and that Erebor is the mightiest dwarven kingdom in all of Middle Earth." Thorin noticed he said nothing about Dis, Frerin, or Thorin's mother, Elis.

"Middle Earth already had no doubt about Erebor's strength, Father. We have an entire _wing _dedicated to housing billions upon billions of Grandfather's golden coins, and none dare resist our army." Thorin's temper died down and his voice took on a pleading note. "Father…Adad, I…I worry for Mother…she cries herself to sleep each night, and yet you are down here, rolling in your gold or basking in the light of the arkenstone. And Frerin and Dis, they miss you so much." Thrain's glare faltered, and his eyes softened. Thorin, think that he could finally make his father see past the haze of gold that covered his eyes, plunged on.

"Each morning, Fre asks me if I think you might have time to spar with him for a few minutes that day. And little Dis, she used to run to you each time she had a problem or was hurt, remember? And now, with Mother growing sicker each day, and you all but completely ignoring her, she has to run to me for comfort. When was the last time you smiled at her or Frerin, or held them on your lap, or told Mother you love her? Or do you even care anymore?"

Thrain crossed his arms and looked down, and Thorin thought he might have gotten through to him. But then his father looked up, and Thorin could still see the glint of gold lust in his eyes, and his hopes were dashed. Right then, Thorin vowed to Mahal that he would never put gold in front of the ones he loved, and he would never, _ever_ catch the Dragon Sickness, for he realized that was what his father and grandfather had.

"Thorin, son, you don't understand. The arkenstone is more precious that anything in this mountain and certain measures have to be taken to protect it. I do not ignore your mother, I see Elis at meal times and when I go to bed. And I don't have to tell her and the children I love them, because they already know I do. You will realize just how important gold and the arkenstone is when you become king." Thrain tried to rest a hand on Thorin's shoulder, but Thorin jerked away and snarled at his father.

"Certain measure does not mean ignoring everything around you. Assign guards to it if you must, or put it in the vault." He turned away from Thrain and crossed his arms. "Do Dis and Frerin and mother know you love them? Because I'm not entirely sure anymore." He turned to stalk out of the room, but stopped at the doors. "And one more thing, Thrain son of Thror," he said in a deadly calm, and quite voice. Thrain glanced at his son's back. "I do not consider you my father. I am ashamed to be called the son of one who puts his gold before the ones that love him."

Thorin's heart shattered as he said these words. He loved his father as a son should, perhaps even more, but Thrain was not the kind, soft-hearted father that raised him. his heart broke for his poor mother, who was literally killing herself with worry over her beloved husband, and refused to leave her rooms except to take meals with her children. Thorin then came to a realization: Dis and Frerin no longer ran to their parents when they needed something; they ran to him. They looked to him as a replacement for their father _and _mother. Just the other day, Dis had come crying to him because of a scraped knee, and Elis had given her handmaid orders not to allow anyone into her rooms. Thorin had been taking care of Dis and Frerin, no, _raising _them like this for about six months now…ever since the arkenstone was found…

_Dis and Frerin!_ He remembered Dis coming to tell him about a game _Frerin _had made up. "Oh Mahal!" he could just hope neither had any broken limbs yet. He changed his course, turning to track down his siblings instead of going to his rooms. "Dis! Frerin!" he called their names as he ran through the halls. He grew more anxious when he couldn't find them. He heard Dis's unmistakable giggling and Frerin's shout of triumph as he passed the closed dining hall doors, and stopped in his tracks.

"Dis, Frerin, what are you…" there was no one in the hall. There was a wide open floor with a long table running down the center, and a very high ceiling towering above him, but no dwarflings. "Dis? Frerin?" Thorin was dumbfounded. He was certain he had heard them in here.

He heard a little snicker above him as he turned to go. His head snapped to the sound, and he just about had a heart attack. "Hi Thorin! Did you come to play?"

Dis was hanging upside down on the chandelier above the dining table by her knees, silky black braids almost touching the candles on the table. Frerin was seated on the bar running through the middle of the golden fixture, swinging precariously. Only when his little brother spoke did Thorin realize he had been standing there gaping like an idiot with his mouth open. "Hey Thor! Wanna join us?" he flipped into a position like his sister, golden hair swinging freely.

Thorin growled and crossed his arms. "Do you not consider swinging from a chandelier twenty feet high dangerous, Dis? Frerin, how could you let your ten year old sister do this? How did you get up there anyways?" Frerin and Dis smirked to each other and Frerin pointed to the wall to Thorin's right. The large chain that held the light fixture aloft had been taken down from the alcove it normally rested in. it now touched the ground, and it did not take Thorin long to figure out how the two trouble makers had gotten up there.

"Alright you two. It's about time we head back to our rooms and get in bed. Get down." Frerin's smirk faltered and he looked down fearfully. "Ummmm, Thorin…I don't think we can." Thorin rolled his eyes. "You can and you will Frerin. Now." Dis looked from Frerin to Thorin to the ground twenty feet below her, and her eyes grew wide with fear.

"Th…Thor…Thorin, I…I don't think I can get down. "It…it's pretty far down…" realization crossed Thorin eyes and he uncrossed his fingers. "Oh…well…I have an idea. You two stay there and don't move. I'll be right back." he ran out of the dining hall with one last look over his shoulder at the two. Frerin was helping Dis sit up and she was watching Thorin's retreating back with worry.

"Dwalin! Dwalin are you in here?" Thorin walked around the emptying forge, the dwarves tidying up their stations and heading home for some much needed rest. He saw a familiar hat bobbing over an anvil and called out to its owner. "Bofur! Have you seen Dwalin anywhere?" the pounding stopped and Bofur looked over at the voice calling him.

"Thorin! How ya been laddie? We haven't seen you in ages!" Thorin smiled at the dwarf that was barely older than him. "Hello Bofur. You haven't seen Dwalin recently, have you? I need his help with Dis and Frerin." Bofur's smile disappeared, but the mischievous twinkle in his eye didn't. "Wha they get themselves into this time?"

Thorin scowled. "Frerin thought it might be a good idea to use the chandelier in the dining hall as a swing, and now both him and Dis are stuck." Bofur shook his head. He was about to say something before a gruff voice interrupted him. "So how am I supposed to help with this one?"

Dwalin walked out of the shadows, untying his leather smock and wiping his face of soot with a dirty rag. "Well," Thorin got over the shock of his friend coming out of the shadows. "I was thinking if we could lower the chandelier enough, they could jump off without hurting themselves." Dwalin nodded.

"We best get going then, before your parents find out." Dwalin started to the door. "My parents could probably care less if one of them broke their neck," Thorin muttered under his breath.

"What was that laddie?" Bofur asked. "Nothing," Thorin straightened up. "I'll see you later Bofur."

The two dwarfs hurried through the walls of Erebor, Thorin briefing Dwalin on how the two trouble makers had managed to get on the chandelier in the first place. When they got the dining hall, Thorin almost expected to see one of them on the ground with a broken limb, and exhaled in relief when he saw both Frerin and Dis sitting safely on the light. Well, as safe as they could be sitting on a light fixture hanging twenty feet above the ground.

"Thorin!" Dis cried out when she saw her big brother. "It's okay Dis, were gonna get you down now." Frerin had his arms wrapped around her protectively, but his eyes were also wide with fear. Thorin and Dwalin walked over to the chain, and Thorin grasped it while his taller friend unhooked it from them wall. They lowered the light as carefully and gently as they could. When it was barely five feet above the ground, Frerin let go of his sister and jumped. Thorin held his breath, but his little brother made it safely to the ground.

"Alright Dis, it's your turn," but Thorin knew she wouldn't jump that. "Frerin, come hold the chain." Frerin came over and took Thorin's place in front of Dwalin, and Thorin walked over to stand underneath Dis. She was clinging to a candle holder so hard that her knuckles were white. _Why is she so afraid? This is not the Dis I know. _"Okay Dis, you can jump now. I'll catch you."

"Promise?" she whispered fearfully. Thorin nodded and held out his arms to her. "I promise." She slowly let go of the golden fixture and fell forward into Thorin's waiting arms. He held her to him, and she clung to the fur of his overcoat.

"Thank you Dwalin," he turned to his friend. "Do you think you can manage getting it back into place? I need to get these two to bed before Frerin decides he wants to blow something up." Dwalin nodded. "Aye, I'll manage." He started hoisting the chandelier back up. "G'night Thorin, little ones."

"Night Dwalin." Frerin yawned, grabbing Thorin's hand. Dis still had her head buried in Thorin's shoulder and her hands clenched in his tunic. Thorin shook his head at her odd behavior, she was just tired.

The trio trekked up to the royal rooms, Frerin yawning the whole way and Dis occasionally sniffling. "Alright Fre, you go on and get in bed, I'll come tell you good night in a minute." Thorin ruffled his little brother's golden waves and Frerin gave him a sleepy smile. "'Kay Thorin. Night Dis,"

"Night," Dis mumbled back. Thorin adjusted her on his shoulder and pushed the door to her room open. He set her down on her bed before grabbing her hairbrush and nightgown. "Thorin?" she asked timidly.

"Yes Dis?" Thorin started untying her boots. "Why were you so mad today?" Thorin sighed as he peeled her dress off. He remained silent as her took her many petticoats off and laid them over a chair. He slipped her nightgown over her head and then sat behind her on the bed to brush her long black hair.

"I was just upset with Adad and Grandfather Dis, that is all." Dis's shoulders relaxed. "So you weren't mad at me or Fre?" Thorin started unraveling the twin braids, letting Dis's hair flow down her back.

"No Dis, I can never be mad at you. Upset, yes. But never mad." Dis turned around to face Thorin, and he was shocked to see tears in her eyes. "Really?" she let out a tearful whisper. Thorin gathered her into his arms tenderly, but his eyebrows furrowed at her odd behavior.

"Dis, what brought this on? You know I love you and Frerin more than anything." Dis started sobbing on Thorin's shoulder, and he stroked her hair and made soothing noises.

"I…I had a dream, and…and you became like Adad…and stopped loving me because of that rock. And then…then me and Fre were hanging off a cliff…and you weren't there…and…we fell…and you didn't catch me…" she sobbed out. Thorin clutched Dis to his heart, and felt his eyes fill with tears at her words. "Oh Dis, my precious sister, I love you _so _much, and nothing could make me stop loving you. I hate that rock as much as you do, and Durin himself could not make me love it more than I love you." Dis let out a shaky breath and looked up at his eyes as he continued.

"Adad and grandfather still love you, Namadith; they just have forgotten how to show it. And mother too, but she is sick, and we don't know how to make her better." Dis looked confused. "We don't? But…Mister Oin can make everyone better." Thorin sighed and went back to brushing her hair.

"Not this kind of sickness little one. It is a sickness of the heart, and only one person can make it better, and I do not know if he loves her enough anymore." He sectioned off her hair and began French braiding it down her back. "Now, about me not being there to catch you in your dream; it was just that, a dream and nothing more." Dis's shoulder's sagged. "I know Thorin. But it just seemed so real, and I woke up feeling like I was falling. I was scared." She finished with a whisper. Thorin finished the braid and stood up. He pulled the furs on her bed down and helped Dis snuggled into them.

"You never have to be scared Dis. We are Longbears of the line of Durin, one of the strongest races of dwarves. And, you will always have me." he tucked the fur and blankets around her. She smiled up at him, tear tracks still on her cheeks. "Forever Nadad?" Thorin smiled back and wiped the tracks off her face. "Forever and always, Namadith." He looked up as he heard the door creak and saw his father walking away. Dis hadn't noticed, but he still scowled at Thrain's retreating back. he kissed her forehead and blew out the candle.

"I love you Thorin," a sleepy voice called as he opened the door. Thorin looked back and saw Dis already asleep. "I love you as well, my sister." And he would, forever and always.


End file.
